Expat Minimum Salary

[overherebc]

Today I was talking to a Thai friend, a manager of a company I used to work for, and during the chat I mentioned that I am not working at the moment, got a small private pension and my wife has a good job etc, but, I am getting to the point where sitting at home doing not much is boring to say the least. Don't do the bar scene etc, but gardening, well I can pay someone to do it.

Conversation got round to the fact that I could work for the company again, not full time but classed as full time, his suggestion, not mine.

Anyway, Question I want to ask. What is the minimum salary required for an ex-pat, I'm from UK, to support a WP?

[beano2274]

for WP 50,000 for UK Citizen if memory serves me right

[overherebc]

Thanks for the fast response. That would be acceptable to both of us.

I'm on "O" extension and have been for a while and never had a problem getting a WP on it although I have heard it depends on the local WP office.

[PoorSucker]

If your extension is based on marriage it should not be a problem.

If your extension is based on retirement you can not get a WP.

[overherebc]

Yes based on marriage. Avatar is a photograph of wife calling me from the office

[PoorSucker]

Yes based on marriage. Avatar is a photograph of wife calling me from the office

Same same.

[PattayaPhom]

Although 6 years ago, I had a WP that was based on P/T at 30K a month....whether that option is still available or not I dont know

[Penkoprod]

for WP 50,000 for UK Citizen if memory serves me right

Jeez !!!!! Am i reading this right?

That a salary of 50,000 or more a month is needed to gain a work permit?

Meaning that, anything under that amount would mean the WP application will fail???

Penkoprod

[lopburi3]

That 50k is the requirement for one year extension of stay for some nationalities by Immigration. Obviously many people have work permits with much lower salaries; including most teachers.

[Pib]

Here's a Feb 11 ThaiVisa thread which also talked the subject with some more specifics: Link

[Mario2008]

No minimum salary required to gain a work permt, although some labor offices do seem now to require this.

The minimum income requirement is for an extension of stay from immirgation based on working. But does not apply to teachers, members of the media and people working for the government.

[mike123ca]

No minimum salary required to gain a work permt, although some labor offices do seem now to require this.

The minimum income requirement is for an extension of stay from immirgation based on working. But does not apply to teachers, members of the media and people working for the government.

What if you have an O-visa based on marriage and you also used the 400,000 baht in the bank to obtain your extension.

Do you still need to find a job that pays 50,000 a month or its okay to get a lower paying job?

[lopburi3]

If you can obtain a work permit the amount of pay is not a factor as you are staying here on basis of Thai wife and 400k in bank account.

[Mario2008]

As said, the minimum income is for the extension of stay, not for the work permit. So if you qualify for the extension of stay based on marriage, the minimum income requirement based on working is not an issue.

[Lite Beer]

Also volunteers working for free can get Work Permits.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Gone]

Also volunteers working for free can get Work Permits.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Good point. There is no minimum wage for foreigners only for Thai's.

[TerryLH]

"There is no minimum wage for foreigners only for Thai's."

Do you have a link or reference for that?

Normally Labor Office rules/laws apply to all employees the same.

I think that would include foreigners.

Edited March 26, 2012 by TerryLH

[midasthailand]

Certainly when I was working here the minimum wage to obtain WP was 50,000/month for Australians. I was not married to a Thai or retired

[ccarbaugh]

I just started working at a government school in Bangkok 2 months ago and got my first work permit. My pay is 25,000 Baht per month. I would love to be paid 50,000!

[Spoonman]

Certainly when I was working here the minimum wage to obtain WP was 50,000/month for Australians. I was not married to a Thai or retired

No it wasn't, the 50k was for the visa extension, Iam Australian and still working here.

[Mario2008]

Certainly when I was working here the minimum wage to obtain WP was 50,000/month for Australians. I was not married to a Thai or retired

The minimum wage for an extension of stay is only for people who file for an extension of stay based on employement under provision 2.1 of police order 777/2551. It does not apply to people applying based on other provisions, such as teachers, being married to a Thai national, members of the media etc.

[antant]

Hello all,I'm married to a Thai husband and I am currently holding the Non-O visa.

I have a work permit which the company applied for me before marriage (at that time, Non-B visa). I changed visa status to Non-O after marriage and have renewed work permit annualy.

Recently I have a part-time arrangment with my present company. While working full time, my salary is above the min. level required then. But now, my salary is reduced by a fraction.

Therefore, I have a few questions:

(1) Is the minimum salary still apply to Non-O visa? If yes, how much?

Antmaniac: Sorry. I just found Mario2008's comment on this. Seems like I don't need it! Hooray!

(2) Do I still need a work permit to work, since I'm married to a Thai, living here, have 2 children now and etc?

Thanks for your advice!

Best regards,

Antmaniac

Edited July 9, 2012 by antant

[lopburi3]

1. Not sure what you have but suspect it is one year extension of stay from Immigration on the basis of marriage (you obtain with husband and his financials (not much required)? Nothing is required of you in such case. A non O visa is issued by a Consulate outside Thailand.

2. As above you are using marriage and they only concerned with husband and no set amount required.

3. Yes you require a work permit to work. You might want to investigate citizenship.

[antant]

2. As above you are using marriage and they only concerned with husband and no set amount required.

3. Yes you require a work permit to work. You might want to investigate citizenship.

Hello Lopburi3! Thanks for your advice!

Yes I have a one year Non-O visa, renew every year.

My boss found out from one of the sunbelt lawyers that I need to show bank account with THB 400k when I renew work permit next year?? Is this applicable for Non-O visa, and married to Thai husband?

I have been in this country for 5 years+ but only last i moved my name to a house registration book last year (I have a yellow book which is different from the blue book that Thais have). The officer at the municipal office told us that I have to have my name in this book for consistent of 5 years only then I am qualified to apply for a PR.

I am not really looking at citizenship as I am not ready to give up my Malaysian passport yet. Again, some source said that in Thailand we can have dual citizenship? I know that in Malaysia it's not allowed. Unless forum members here have other insight which will help a great deal!

And also to apply for PR, one of the requirement is to have the proof that I work in the same company for 5 years?

[lopburi3]

400k in bank account is the immigration requirement for a male to extend for Thai wife reasons - has nothing to do with you. But with only small salary Labor Office may not grant you a work permit - they seem to set standards by office involved without a published scale. I suspect your "boss" is indicating you will not have a work permit and must extend for marriage reasons (rather than employment) and is not aware that a woman does not require the 400k in bank account that a male would. The requirement for employment extension using income for your nationality would be 35k per month and some reports are Labor may use this figure for work permit issue (at least at some places).

PR is not requirement for citizenship - but in your case, being from a country that does not allow dual citizenship, PR is more attractive for you - normally it is not granted without income so loss of employment may rule it out (does not have to be same company). As would any break in your extensions of stay (only three years is required - not five). Yellow home register is all you can be listed on currently.

[antant]

Hello Lopburi3!

Thanks again for your advice. I got the same feedback from the lawyer we worked with on the 35k salary when renewing work permit.

I suspect your "boss" is indicating you will not have a work permit and must extend for marriage reasons (rather than employment) and is not aware that a woman does not require the 400k in bank account that a male would. The requirement for employment extension using income for your nationality would be 35k per month and some reports are Labor may use this figure for work permit issue (at least at some places).

LOL... no my boss was rather worried about the rules and regulations. Don't wanna go breaking laws here. The question about work permit requirement is mainly from my part because I find it a bit pain in the backside. I had once forgotten about it and we had to do everything from zero again. Of course, after that experience I NEVER forget to have it renewed promptly.

[yannic]

not sure why so many foreigners work for such a low salary? In my company the salary ranges from 60,000 Baht to about 280,000 Baht a month (we have around 80 people staff with an Expat/Thai ratio of 30/70). While drivers have around 60-70,000 Baht and secretaries around 100-120,000 Baht. Project Officers range usually from around 170,000 to 280,000 Baht, mostly around 200 to 220,000 Baht. But a few have more then 250,000 Baht. And yes I am talking about local Thai staff not foreigners. Of course the expat staff salary is not comparable to this, they all work for 25,000 Baht LOL. No, of course not - expats have a full package and have paid housing, school for kids, BC flights, health insurance and the salary is not bad either.

Still not sure why many foreigners work for such a low salary. But I guess it is like in Europe in the 60's and 70's the cheap foreign workers like from Turkey were called and paid a very very low salary and they were still very happy. So I guess it is the same for Thailand. Thais get a good salary and cheap foreign workers get the low salary, he he he.

[Spoonman]

Yannic, the "low salary" is the minimum of what is required for an extension based on employment.

This is the "declared" salary with the "real salary" paid tax free offshore.

[yannic]

Yannic, the "low salary" is the minimum of what is required for an extension based on employment.

This is the "declared" salary with the "real salary" paid tax free offshore.

if that would be the case, everything would be good, but I guess it is the miority that works like that...

[bangkokburning]

Bear in mind that a retiree requires 800K and married is 400k so in their eyes 600k is hardly too much to ask - and you will paytax on this as well.